


A Day of Light and Sound

by AwatereJones



Series: EMP [4]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Action, Alt Verse, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-03 15:41:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19467046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: Day 4 they had hoped to scavange, prepare for the lockdown needed to wait out the rampage of the Bots. They underestimated the Bots and their desperate need to cleanse the earth of the vermin called Man. Today will be fire and brimstone. Bright light and deafening sound. If you've not read the first parts of this, it will not make sense. Love my Crumbly Cake and Nancy Girl xxxx





	1. Chapter 1

Ianto woke long before the coming dawn and lay there wondering why.

The darkness was broken with the moonlight filtering through the net curtains blowing in the breeze, creating patterns on the white walls. He could hear a frog croaking softly somewhere and knew the world around him in this little bubble were all asleep bar those on duty. Maybe it was that.

Someone walking past accidentally crunched gravel on the path or something, enough to wake him from the silence he had grown used to here in Utopia. Jack muttered softly rolling and hugging his pillow in that endearing way that always made Ianto smile.

Jack's lips pouted and Ianto leaned in, stealing a kiss with glee before he settled back down and told himself ot let it go. Go to sleep. Too early. Big day. Blah blah. You know, the usual stuff that doesn't work.

Then he heard it.

Someone was calling his name, a soft whisper on the breeze and he rose, checking all were asleep before he pulled pants and a tunic on and slipped from the house to look around. No patrol was near them, a tiger cough in the distant tree line told him the night life was not bothered or concerned about anything.

There is was again.

Like a sigh.

_**Ianto** _

He sighed too, then decided if he was up he should at least do as he was bid and he padded through the rocks into the receiving village where he nodded to a guard who looked at him with surprise before bowing slightly and continuing on his way with the monkey on his shoulder seemingly no big deal as it waved back at Ianto.

Ianto slipped off his shoes and walked to the water's edge. He waited until she rose and turned to face him, her hair flowing over her body like a cloak in the darkness, the moonlight making her skin glow in the moonlight that seemed a golden hue.

"What is it?" he whispered.

She didn't answer, but she rarely did, merely turning and looking towards the mainland where a distant glow showed burning. Ianto could not see them but felt those passing through the mists and he shuddered as he felt soul after soul pass.

"By the water's kiss … what is it?" he whispered, watching as the glow suddenly flared and the sky seemed to be too bright to see for a moment. "Oh my gods … was that ….was that a power plant?"

She turned back to him and he had seconds to prepare before the blast hit that almost took him off his feet, his clothing flapping as he screamed into the roar of the storm. It was not the blast from the fire … no … it was the sudden onslaught of life … loss … passing over.

Ianto closed his eyes, unable to watch as those passing looked for one another in the mists, hands reaching and clasping one another. Families. Gods. It was not a town … it was a city. A city of people were just incinerated and he felt ill even as he ws comforted knowing they were going to a place where they would be renewed.

Ianto looked at her as she dripped in the water, her face mirroring his own with sorrow.

"How long?" he asked "If they are cleansing the world now … clearing out the humans or herding them or whatever this plan seems to be …. My love … do you know how long it will take before they reach here?"

She shook her head and her hair moved like she was still underwater, her eyes swirling with their golden glow as she whispered softly "they are already here."

Ianto took a deep breath as dawn started to peek around the dark curtains of night, then the turned for the village.

He ran.


	2. blast force

As Ianto ran his heart pounded in his chest. What he had just witnessed had not yet fully formed, not yet come to pass and it was a forewarning of what was about to come. As she had sunk back into her safe dark depths she had whispered to him on the breeze that a reckoning was near and he had not liked it one little bit, his throat dry, his lungs on fire.

He felt as scorched as the land out there.

The land … on fire. It was all burning out there now.

.

.

.

.

.

Jack ambled outside to look for Ianto who was usually back from his early morning wanders by now, dawn coming as the trees started to rustle with birdlife and he yawned, waving as Owen staggered from his house to look around blearily and watch some children playing.

Everything seemed muted, the sound tinny and Jack yawned in an attempt to pop his ears thinking maybe that was the problem. He looked around and saw animals moving quietly long the sides of the street, dogs, cats and other things, some he did not recognise simply ambling along like there was somewhere they needed to get to. Some meeting of the creatures perhaps as not a single one looked over at the humans, intent on their journey. Heads down, staring ahead as meat eaters made room for smaller creatures to run between their legs.

Something didn't feel right.

Jack looked to the trees and they were not rustling but they were erupting as birdlife flew from the village back towards the mountain behind them in the same direction as those on the ground, as if fleeing something and as Jack turned to look in the opposite directing they were moving in he saw Ianto staggering from the opening in the rocks, his face pale and he seemed … devastated somehow.

"GET DOWN!" Ianto cried, people stopping to turn and look, as some that were Chimeron simply dropped like stones to lay flat.

Jack turned to call out as well, waving his hand in a downward motion. He had no idea what was happening but Ianto's fear was almost cloying, Jack could smell it. Then it hit, a wave of …. Hatred? Horror? Sorrow? All the bad stuff that makes your stomach churn, it was rolling in waves over the island and some people fell as they clutched at their ears in an attempt to stop the sound that only they could hear, it seemed some could smell something.

Jack was on his hands and knees, crawling for Ianto who was also down, then he was writhing, screaming soundlessly as he clutched at himself like something was attacking him.

Despair.

Jack felt despair. He reached Ianto who was still convulsing and as he pulled him into his arms Ianto seemed to rally, grabbing for him and his eyes opened, swirls of golden light as he stared at Jack then blinked.

"Ianto, breathe."

Ianto took a shuddering breath as the place came to life as sound retuned and people started to cry quietly, wail and run for one another, comforting and clutching at the children. Ianto buried his face in Jack's chest as he sobbed, clutching at his shirt as they lay in the dirt.

Owen ran over and fell to his knees, throwing himself over them both as he crooned and tried to soothe Ianto. After a while Ianto gained some semblance of control and let them help him to his feet, his eyes wide and tearful as a trickle of blood ran from his nose.

People were moving around with fear, open fear so Ianto raised his hands to shakily comfort "It's OK. It's passed over us. We are safe. There is no fallout or danger. Be calm."

"What was it?" someone cried "Ianto, what was it?"

"Death" he sighed softly "I felt it earlier, the first wave was a large city … looks like there was a nuclear plant or something there that has gone up now, catching those fleeing. We are safe, it has passed."

People looked relieved, some laughing weakly like whistling in the graveyard as they hugged it out and Jack frowned as he watched Ianto shakily take a seat on a nearby stump, his face in his hands. Then it hit him.

They were safe.

Here in the island's hidden vale they were protected.

The outpost wasn't.

Orinoco.


	3. You know we have to go

Jack followed Ianto to the meeting room where some were waiting already Ianto and Jack slid around the wall as the old ones talked, argued and then one looked over at Ianto with some sort of question.

It was a language Jack did not know and he did pride himself in knowing most. Clearly it was some pigeon-galactic standard, some words recognisable at least. The one he did not like was 'look' and equally off-putting was the 'responsibility' one that Ianto seemed to deflate with relief and nod at.

"Ianto?"

Ianto turned to him with a look of abject apology and Jack sighed as he knew now what it was "They want us to go check if they survived the blast on the mainland?"

"Yeah. To be true… I want to know too but … I fear what I may find" Ianto grimaced rubbing at his neck in that way he does when agitated "We must. If they are alive and needing help yet we hesitated … what does it say about us as a people demanding peace? We cannot even care for our own who are in need?"

"When do we leave?" Owen asked, Ianto turning to look at him was another look of apology.

"Owen … there will be fallout, radiation … we have no way of knowing how bad it is … also … Bots. They have now cleared a lot of green away … it will be like a dessert out there, they will be able to travel faster, wider and may even get this far. Well … they have. I think they are out there. It's too dangerous."

"Excuse me!" Owen blustered "Team Torchwood fucktard!"

"I love you too" Ianto sighed "But you are too important. A Doctor is needed if we are bringing back those injured or contaminated. You have to stay here to set up the decontamination stations for those who are coming. Coming … came … some are here."

As Ianto spoke the place started to move, some calling from outside that a boat was sighted approaching the shore and they ran knowing there would be people on board who needed comfort and medical assistance.

Ianto slowed, catching Jack's hand and pulling him aside, "You can't let Gwen down there"

"what?" Jack frowned with confusion.

"We have radiation. The closer to the other land the more risk. She is ovulating, maybe already fallen … She can't be near that, not if she fell in the last day or so." Ianto hissed "This place … she probably is. How it works with bonded pairs."

Jack stared at him long and hard making Ianto sigh "Yes. Why I've bottomed since we came … Jack … you are fertile too."

"Shit … why some are staying back, they are preggers?"

"Or breastfeeding or trying" Ianto nodded.

.

.

.

.

.

Owen was taking charge as he waved his arms about and people were listening to his orders as the chalet with one wall already removed for demo was turned into a decontamination station as it still had running water. People were coming off the boat and entered in there, showering thoroughly and putting on fresh clothing, the old clothes thrown out the window to be burned later in a pyre. Although some thought it was overkill they knew better than to argue with someone 'Icarus' had appointed head of the operation. And besides… he seems to know what he is doing.

Jack had to make a hard choice here, knowing that his 'gift' may be needed and that a reset when they return to the island will take care of any radiation but reset the birth control in his system as well … well … not like he wanted one anyway.

Right?

Ianto knew what Jack was mulling over so he settled next to him "I agree."

"What?"

"We do not need you preggers right now. We need you match fit. A reset would be preferable." Ianto nodded as he reached out to touch Jack's knee "and if you are worried … the lake will cleanse me once we return. I will need time but she will love me clean."

"Is it wrong that I feel a little jealous of that lake?" Jack whispered as he leaned in for a kiss and Ianto laughed softly as he gave willingly, and then rose.

"Come on Cariad, it will be hot and messy but time is not our friend today. Not with what needs to be done. Chances are they are already trying to get to us. They know staying in the bunker is a death sentence. If we do not meet them between there and here… they are gone." Ianto brushed off his pants.

"And the lake will cleanse them too?" Jack asked with concern.

Ianto's shrug did not help but Jack knew that he had expected that.

Whatever relationship Ianto had with the Lady of the Lake was exclusive.

It would be up to her.


	4. no time

"This first boat load seems OK, having already been on the water when the wave hit, their worst injuries were from falling to the deck when the overwhelming emotions had incapacitated them. No broken bones but definite bruising" Owen said as he saw to one man sitting while Owen stitched his eyebrow, watching Ianto in the background waiting to talk to him.

"We barely had time to work out what the light was" he finally said as Owen moved away to get the gauze to cover the wound "We had a collective session and agreed to come for here even though we knew we had all agreed to stay on the mainland to see out the entire thing. Something felt … off. We were almost in a panic and just felt the push to move. Gods, I am so glad we did. That we listened to the inner voice."

"Eighteen all together, five are kids" Owen confirmed without looking away from his task, "Low to no radiation levels … nothing that will linger. You are fucking lucky, all I can say. By this time tomorrow anyone over there will …. Shit. Sorry Ianto. Shit. You have a team over there still, right?"

"Orinoco" Ianto said softly and the man pulled back from Owen as if scalded. He stared at Ianto.

"Orin?"

"Yes, he was with the last outpost. Half a day from the water. My partner and I are leaving now, just waiting for the boats to be moved and shuffled frpm the docks then we will go get him Them." Ianto said firmly "Jack is already fuelling her up as I speak with you. Did you leave vehicles or were you on horses?"

The man looked slightly shamefaced "Vehicles. I know… I know we were supposed to shun them but…"

"Good" Ianto nodded absently "Good. Saves us loading the SUVs. Keys?"

"In them. Big. A flat deck truck and some vans."

"Good. Let's hope the tyres don't melt, we will move like fucking maniacs. If we take a large vehicle each we may fit them all …good" Ianto went to leave and the man stood.

"Icarus? My Lord? May I…"

"No. You got these ones home. You did your job. Rest. And do not … NOT… call me that. I am Ianto now. I chose. I wanted to be his, to be … real. I am Ianto." Ianto said firmly and Owen turned to look at him with confusion, then shrugged and went back to fussing.

Ianto walked from the building to find Jack waiting on the dock.

"Hey" he called as he saw Ianto approaching, looking so handsome on the strange light "Ready to load the vehicles?"

"They have left vehicles on the other side, keys in the ignitions" Ianto replied as he reached out to take Jack's hand "We have to boogie Cariad. Daylight is a'wasting"

"Agreed, we go now. Before the others realise and try to come" Jack nodded. "Like Owen did, didn't he."

"Yes, Toshiko is already watching as well, I know she will behave though. Gwen is busy with Rhys, hasn't noticed so we need to move fast. She is about to notice. We can not have her at these docks" Ianto warned and they clambered onto the boat, pushing off and heading for the deep water as Ianto looked back at his village, his people with a feeling of strangeness.

Jack looked ahead.

Of course.

.

.

..

.

They reached the distant shore faster than Jack would have thought and he felt that somehow the lake had assisted them .. well … Ianto. Silence. It was eerie.

The vehicles were there and they went over all of them, discussing speed and capacity. They tried not to think of the ash wafting around their feet as they walked though it, life. Death. They knew it was going to get worse, the further out they had to travel.

They agreed capacity was more important, leave none walking. Ianto led the way, crunching over the ground and he tried not to look at the creatures dead or dying on the side of the road that had run through flames.

The smell was terrible.

He kept checking his mirrors for Jack, knowing Jack was watching him intently. Nothing was familiar, the landscape foreign like another planet and for some reason it seemed easier, disconnecting with the world he had known. Lost.

He hoped it was not too widespread, hopefully nasty, quick and localised to the area.

He also scanned for any technology, something in the dirt or ash that might be metallic and knew Jack was also thinking the same thing. Bots. Were there any around? How close did they get before they accidentally wiped themselves out?

Wad it an accident at all?

Or as he thought, a deliberate attempt to cleanse the area of any resistance still to there.

Orinoco had been trained well, knew to stay down, then move within the small window before the rains came to spread the radiation. If he didn't see the group walking towards them within the next hour … he would know they were still in the bunker, either cooked alive or … trapped for some reason.

Either way, they would have to turn back and leave them.

They would be forfeit.

Christ …. He didn't want to give up on the boy.

He could only hope.


	5. ash and traces

They were ten minutes from the turn-back time when he saw them.

Bedraggled, dirty and faltering.

"Orin!" Ianto cried, slamming on the brakes and bolting from the vehicle as the people looked at him with disbelief.

"Uncle?" the young man cried with a small child in his arms, then he burst into tears as he swung to the others "See? I told you. I told you I felt it, I felt help. I told you this was the right way!"

"Come here" Ianto pulled him in even as he complained about radiation.

"Too late to worry" Jack barked as he started physically lifting people into the back of the truck he was driving "We are all at risk. We have to move. All that do not fit on here, clamber into the van Ianto is driving. We have to go. NOW!"

Ianto had left the van doors open and Jack watched people climbing in, then to his surprise some animals appeared, clambering in as well and Ianto didn't blink as he lifted a rabbit, looking around then lifting a small dog as well.

They slammed their pedals to the metal, tearing back towards the lake as their precious cargo tore into the packs of bottled water Ianto had placed in the back of the vehicles, lake water. Nectar. Jack glanced back once, seeing his passengers huddled together, some weeping as they tried to comfort each other and he gritted his teeth.

Ianto kept checking his mirrors like Jack might disappear, the despair coming off his passengers cloying like the smell of a bad day old curry. God, he wanted Jack closer, he wanted to be held, comforted…. Shit. Ianto struggled to ignore the feelings swirling in the van, as he realised they were projecting their sorrow.

They hadn't all made it.

Those on patrol at the time were gone, at least ten good people had perished while the world slept in the early hours of this morning and Ianto closed his mind as he knew this was not an isolated thing. No doubt other places had suffered the same thing. This had been a planned event, clear to him now as he looked around at the carnage and saw tracks.

Something had passed this way, since they had.

Ianto put his hand out the window and signalled to Jack who was watching intently for anything like that both slowing and as Ianto pointed down Jack looked, now seeing the tracks as well and he swore softy as Ianto yanked his wheel, going off road to run along what appeared to be a dry river bed instead.

Right.

Jack followed, soon finding the banks of the bed higher than their vehicles as it embraced them and they tore along now hidden from whatever was up on the road seeking the source of the tyre tracks it had found.

A land drone.

Jesus, Ianto was right. The clear felling had not only killed, it had made it easier for the Bots to see 360 while tearing along the now deserted roads. The wetlands were not affecting them while the radiation burned them dry.

This would not last.

Within months the rains will refill the pockets, the land will recover and growth with return. They knew this, had been tactical in choosing now to do this.

Cleaning house.

Damn it.

What they didn't want. They were going to be trapped for some time before the wetlands could protect them again. Shit.

They reached a low point in the left bank and Ianto turned sharply, almost slamming into it as he attacked but to Jack's relief he managed to breach it and Jack flowed in his treads, coming topside as the river turned away from the lake and they moved for the safety of the boat docked within reach.

Ianto sharply turning the wheel again startled Jack, the noise of impact and the scattering of metal as it flew into the sky both alarming and sickening as Jack saw that a Bot had been waiting for them. Sitting silently on the road camouflaged.

Had they just given themselves away?

Ianto skidded to a halt, swinging from the can as he yelled to Orinoco to get everyone on the boat, running back to Jack as he got out and ran for the bits of Bot. It was the same colour as the surrounding burnt earth.

proof.

This was orchestrated damage, to have camouflaged themselves like this took time. This Bot would have been constructed weeks, maybe months ago. To match this carnage around them now.

"Are you Ok?" Jack asked softly.

"Shaken. Did I just ring a bell?" Ianto replied, rubbing his face "No matter. We have to roll. Come on Cariad, we will have to make this work. There are three more docks from the mainland … they cannot know them all. We just need to scout for one that they did not detect and we still have an access point for scavenging. A month or so and the land will have started to renew, the Lake will encourage that growth around it at least."

Jack nodded, reaching out to touch Ianto for a moment before they boarded the boat and checked everyone ws sitting down.

Then Jack booted it to full power and they skimmed the water.

They went home.


	6. take me to the water

People were greeting them, helping those from the boat as they collapsed with grief and relief, some wanted to place their hands in the soil. Ianto and Jack helped Orinoco from the boat and then towards the lake, the water going still as they started to walk in, Ianto's soft voice crooning to the boy who was visibly shaking with relief.

Then the water moved, swirling around them and pulling them down, Jack yelping with surprise as it moved them out into the deep like a giant fist clutching them. Dunking them yet each time they rose his hair was not wet … the water ws entirely retreating from him.

"It's OK Cariad" Ianto soothed "be calm. She's helping."

Then the water was gone, they were once again on the lake's edge and Jack blinked with confusion as Owen ran towards them with open fear "Get back. Get back from the water! It's grabbing people like a fucking… you're not wet."

"Why would we be wet?" Ianto frowned "she took all of herself back."

Orinoco collapsed, Ianto going down with him as Jack struggled to ease them gently to the ground. They sat there all clinging to one another as they watched people getting pulled into the lake and cleansed, then returned, little children with no fear as they squealed with excitement, suddenly revitalised.

Jack pulled Ianto up into the area where others waited, pulling Ianto into their embrace as they all seemed to want to check him over, fear bleeding away as he laughed softly and reassured them that he was fine. Orinoco still clinging to his jacket like a small child. Jack felt fine too, revitalized, energised and … alive. Like a reset without that unpleasant death first.

He turned to look back at the water and grinned as he wondered if she liked him by proxy as he was Ianto's.

Maybe.

.

.

.

.

Orinoco sat as close to Ianto as he could, burrowing into his arms and he wept as Ianto crooned and comforted, rubbing his back and telling him how proud he was. He had got them to safety, he had done all the right things. Jack sat on the edge of the bed to watch as Ianto rocked the boy, the old sofa in their bedroom now had some pillows one end that warned Jack there would be no rompey-pompey for a day or so until the lad settled down.

Jack felt it was…

"Dad?"

Orinoco looked up from Ianto as Alice entered, carrying some clothes "I didn't mean to interrupt. I have some clothes here that might fit your guest. Too big for Stephen."

"Thanks love" Jack smiled as he accepted them then motioned "Alice, this is Orinoco, Orin, this is my daughter Alice. Her son, Stephen is my grandson."

"Daughter?"

"Jack is immortal" Ianto said softly "An accident with the Doctor."

"You were a companion too?" Orinoco asked with a dazed expression, "Like you Grandy?"

Ianto sighed as the desire to strangle his grandchild made him glower and Orinoco grimaced "Sorry … you hate that. Sorry. I mean … Uncle."

"Really?" Jack asked with interest "you and your…. Wait a minute. Companion. No."

"He didn't mean it like that … I was never a companion. Not like you, I was more like … a combatant. Hostage? Well … unwilling passenger for a time then when he realized that I was as stubborn as him he brought me back, still none the wiser as to why the TARDIS wanted me in the first place. No idea of my heritage. It was at T1."

"You know, each time I think I have you pinned down you twist away from me again" Jack shook his head with wonder. "Grandfather."

Orinoco snorted softly "Surely he warned you about himself."

"Warned me?"

"Yeah, he always told me as a youngling on his knee" Orinoco smiled softly "You can never grab a Tiger by the tail."

Jack's laughter was deep as he watched Ianto's face change to one of shock then amusement, at that long ago warning coming full circle as the gorgeous Tiger in a suit blinked at Jack from the sofa.

Yeah.

.

.

.

.

Oronoco had been encouraged by Alice to go outside to meet Stephen and the others, Mica and David instantly getting his attention even if he expressed slight nervousness around Rhiannon who had always terrified him slightly. As they walked he confided in Alice that Rhiannon was an Aunt he had never got used to, so loud and large. So … human.

Alice fought a grin at the idea that her father had met his match in more ways than one, the young man faking a smile as Rhiannon looked up from her fussing to see him and sighed "Orin."

"Hello A… Rhia."

"Almost!" she frowned, then snorted "Come on. Sit down and I will fetch you a plate."

"yes ma'am" He sat and smiled across at the man who had fussed on Ianto when they had first reached the shore, small and pinched with intelligent eyes that showed a hint of mischief. Oh yes, he would know Grandy.

"So, you work with Ianto?" he asked, the man's eyes settling on him and then to his delight the man smiled. Fleeting, momentary but he saw the delicate soul hiding there and knew why his grandfather had saved this one. Damaged yet … fixable. Grandy does like to fix things. Tinkers with broken things.

A doctor?

Of course. Grandy and his sense of humour. The pretty Japanese lady was obviously with him, their bodies touching as they watched this strange world settle into a new beat. She looked intelligent, hard to read.

Then the other two. Her man seems nice, familiar and as Orinoco stared he suddenly recognised a childhood friend.

"Rhysling?"


	7. after the smoke clears and the mirrors turn ...

"Aye, aye Orin" Rhys said with equal delight "I wondered where those two took off to. You got back OK?"

"Yes, there are several of us. We are all safe." Orinoco smiled at his friend "I've not seen you in an age, this a is lovely surprise on the tail end of a shitty week."

"Yeah. This is my missus Gwen" Rhys said as he motioned to the woman beside him, her face closed as was her mind. Suspicious soul. Still … must be a reason Grandy saved her.

Orinoco smiled politely and then started to eat with relief.

Those who had come with him settling to eat as they saw their leader was.

They were safe.

Owen chewed for a while, and then frowned as something occurred to him and he looked over at Ianto who was approaching with Jack hand-in-hand. "Oi! I thought you lot were all peaceable and live-and-let-live and all that. I'm not even allowed to put out a mouse trap!"

"Yes. That's right" Ianto settled on the chair Jack had pulled out for him not feeling the slightest bit feminized. "I heard all about that argument last night, your voice carries like a little girl's when you are scared. A mouse in the wall making you squeal. You scared the hell out of it too probably. I would say it will not be back."

"So? What about this?" Owen shook the half eaten burger at him "How can you preach that and still eat meat? Hmmm?"

Ianto looked at him with mild amusement then he leaned forward "Owen. Do you seriously think we would slaughter an animal for our own food?"

"Well … look around" Owen waved a hand imperiously and Orinoco watched Ianto's amusement flow around the table. Ok. No he saw the merit in the man, he was clearly still a child inside. Someone who needed affection.

"Owen. It's Tofu."

Owen stared "what?"

"Tofu. Not meat. Vegetarian ya nutta" Ianto giggled "Good isn't it?"

"You are shitting me!" Owen sat back and openly pulled the burger apart, then sniffed at it as people giggled softly. He then took a tentative bite like he hadn't already eaten two before Ianto had got to the table. He chewed. He considered. "OK"

Orin grinned as he decided he liked this man, clearly more than a handful of cheeky.

Ianto sighed pushing his plate away after a few bites and Jack frowned "you OK?"

"Yeah, just tired. Big day, ya know?" Ianto smiled softly and Jack pulled him close for a gentle kiss.

"Stephen and I have found a house" Alice said suddenly, everyone turning to look at her "the one behind Dad and Ianto's. Apparently it's a little three bedroom house hidden in the foliage. Perfect for Fen's new pet."

Stephen nodded, the monkey sitting by his plate calmly plucking grapes from it with a disinterested air. It had decided to adopt the boy, clear in the way it looked at him and patted his hand in a condescending way.

"Oh. Well … good for you love" Ianto smiled happily.

"Where are you staying Orin?" Andy asked around his food and Orin pointed at Ianto and Jack. "Really? You know … I have a two bedroom place over by the fire pit. You wanna bunk in with me? Be like old times, like at school. Remember?"

Orin nodded happily as Gwen looked between the two men "You know each other?"

They looked at her and then at one another and started to giggle, settling to talk in that strange language she had heard around this place. It was infuriatingly rude.

Jack watched with interest as he saw how many of Ianto's people had been near him, around him. They must have been terrified when the Tower fell, when Yvonne almost set fire to … of course. Bots. They were watching her; Ianto was not there as a meek little mouse at all. He had been watching. They had infiltrated Torchwood … they had been monitoring him and his lot all along, why all of this was making a weird kind of sense.

Jack had found the elusive ones called the Watchers.

The only ones the Silence had ever shown deference to.

The Guardians of this world.


	8. and there she is

Night fell, sudden and insistent as a horrible day was closed, snapped shut like a book.

Orin had agreed to sleep at Andy's, the two men talking animatedly as they had left the table. Ianto was slightly relieved, loving the child but also wanting to love me man who was being a good stick.

They walked back towards their house, Jack carrying some pudding that was left over, talking quietly to Mica about something and as thy reached the fork in the path, he reached out to hand her the pudding to share with her brother, kissing her cheek and watching them go.

Alice watched with Stephen then nodded as the boy went to pass, only to find Ianto had pudding too, the monkey hooting as a banana was also offered for a midnight snack. Another kiss and the boy ran for the cottage with glee, Alice walking over to stand with the two men who looked tired, as tired as her.

"Goodnight Dad" she said as she accepted a kiss, then to her delight Ianto kissed her too, wishing her a good sleep and no dreams.

They entered their home and Ianto let out a sigh of relief, closing the door as Jack walked towards the bedroom.

"Hey. Old man!"

Jack turned to look back at the cheeky one he now knew was probably as old as him and grinned "what's that Toy Boy?"

"Get your kit off!" Ianto said softly "I want to lick you."

Jack laughed, a striptease in order as Ianto made the music. They would not mourn tonight, tonight they would celebrate what they had. This.

Them.

.

.

..

Gwen watched Rhys take off his boots as she settled on the edge of the bed "So … who next?"

"Huh?" he looked up at her with surprise.

"How many people can we take in? How much food do we have here? Some of them were filthy and did you see that child with the runny nose eating straight from the platter? God" she shuddered and Rhys looked at her with shock.

"Gwen … do you mean the toddler who had the plate of food? That was his. He is Chimeron. The little ones eat the same as an adult when growing" Rhys frowned.

"Well, they are weird. Did you see the green ones? God, if they came to Cardiff they would have been scooped up fast, slammed into the cells downstairs with the weevils and other aliens!" she snorted, shaking her head as she rose and unzipped her jacket, "They make my skin crawl."

Rhys continued to gape, one boot still in his hand.

"And the way that boy clings to Ianto, like he's some..some …."

"Prince" Rhys said as he finally leaned back "It's Prince."

"Really. Not the symbol formerly known as prince?" she scoffed. "Bullshit. All of it, this role-playing thing or whatever it is."

"Prince Icarus of the Chimeron and Defender of the seven isles!" Rhys stood to look at her with fury "My one day king, my friend and my fucking cousin! You watch your goddamned tongue woman, how dare you speak ill of him. He's a good man, a good man."

Gwen gaped as Rhys stomped off, slightly listing as one boot was still in his hands

.

.

.

.

Ianto stopped laughing as the noise outside changed, flicking the covers back to listenas Jack moaned beneath him with annoyance, "Tiger!"

"Shhhh, something us happening out there"

"What?"

"A change. A spat, something is stirring in the ethos of this place" Ianto sat back, straddling Jack and he grinned "Not to worry … can't get us in here. Now … speaking of changes …"

Ianto laughed as Jack flipped them and started to kiss Ianto's' jaw line, the sounds outside softer now as the nightlife spoke about the argument they had heard, more than one animal stealing closer to Ianto's house that night to sit and stare over at hers.

Gwen had no idea the hornet's nest she had stirred up and come morning she would learn .

This was not her place.

This was his.

.

..

.

.

So ends this section. We all wait to see what happens next LOL


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